Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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497. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality about the progress to date in the determination of residency status in the case of a person (details supplied), and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35551/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The International Protection Act 2015 was commenced on 31 December 2016. Under the Act, a new single application procedure was introduced under which all aspects of a person's claim (asylum, subsidiary protection and permission to remain) are considered together by the International Protection Office (IPO) rather than sequentially as heretofore. The IPO replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) from the commencement date. The Chief International Protection Officer (CIPO) and the International Protection Officers in the IPO are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions. They are also bound by confidentiality provisions in respect of applicants, as set out in Section 26 of the 2015 Act.

If an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications and the applicant should contact the International Protection Office directly, either by email to info@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to the Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Transitional arrangements in the 2015 Act apply to certain applications for refugee status and subsidiary protection which were made before the commencement date and were not finalised for processing by the ORAC and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) by that date. The prioritisation of international protection applications in the context of the scheduling of interviews is provided for in the International Protection Act 2015, subject to the need for fairness and efficiency.

I am advised that when the Application for International Protection Questionnaire (IPO 2) and other supporting documentation is returned by applicants, the CIPO intends to schedule applications in the IPO for interview primarily on the basis of date of application (oldest cases first). However, certain categories of applicant are also being prioritised such as those from refugee generating countries such as Syria and unaccompanied minors. The IPO's approach to prioritisation has been agreed with the UNHCR and is available on its website: www.ipo.gov.ie.